


Dodge those Plot Hooks

by MimiIvory



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Chaotic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Gen, Literary References & Allusions, Morally Neutral Deceit | Janus Sanders, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25846183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MimiIvory/pseuds/MimiIvory
Summary: Virgil is a teenager try to run from the forces that will drag him into a story, which will almost certainly lead to an early death. Also, one hundred percent inspired by that one anime prompt on real or fake anime.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Thomas Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Thomas Sanders
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	1. Good morning!

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Real or FAKE ANIME?? Pt. 5 - ACTION/ADVENTURE EDITION! | Thomas Sanders](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/665692) by Thomas Sanders, @PaleNoFace. 



> Virgil wakes up and introduces himself.

Virgil is preparing his lunch. This is not an uncommon occurrence, given that he was still in high school, and he got up early so he could watch some TV before he had to go to school. His mom used to do it, but he’s older now. He can handle it.

It isn’t as common as it could be, though. Summer vacation only ended a couple of weeks ago. Virgil likes summer vacation, but at least he gets dragged into less stuff. He’s cautious. So, apple slices, peppers, dahl, (from yesterday) chips and a water bottle. Healthy enough. Now, TV, breakfast, goodbyes.

(Mom) “Alright. You have your lunch?”

Of course.

(Virgil) “Right here.”

I might be forgetting something, though.

(Mom) “Homework?”

It’s the first week back, why do we even need to do homework? At least it’s light.”

(Virgil) “In my backpack.”

Got everything on.

(Mom) “Club registrations today.”

Dang it.

(Virgil) “I completely forgot.”

Why do we even have a mandatory club?

(Mom) “And remember-”

I know.

(Virgil) “Nothing story related. No giant competitions, nothing that will get you to spend large amounts of time in the forest, no newspaper, reporters are crazy.”

This isn’t the first time.

(Mom) “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I just don’t want you in danger.”

Of course not.

(Virgil) “Don’t worry, Mom. I don’t want me in danger, either.”

I’m not sure why Dad, and his dad, and so on, did. At least Dad was young when he got tangled up, and the big legacy, and the people knocking on your door, telling you their world is in your hands, can be a bit much. But I’m not going to get caught and killed by a story. I’m going to have a somewhat normal life, and not get dragged to another dimension.”

(Mom) “Have fun, sweetheart!”

I’ll try.

(Virgil) “You too. Love you!”

Now off to chaos.

(Mom) “Love you, too!”

Or school, more commonly.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(???) “Well, this should be interesting.”

(???) “Why would today be any different then the one before?”

(???) “I hope it’s different. I know we follow bloodlines, but this one is just the most boring.”

(Second) “He doesn’t want to die, it’s understandable.”

(First) “Makes our job a bit harder, though.”

(Third) “We’ll get him eventually!”

(Second) “But why should we?”

(Third) “Here we go again.”


	2. Fourth day of school!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not going into the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Virgil does not like camping.

And lunchtime. Yay! I might be alright at school stuff, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Logan’s in three of my classes, and Patton and Roman are each in one, but Logan isn’t that chatty when he’s trying to work, and Roman can be heck if left without appropriate supervision. Aka Patton. And Patton isn’t even with me until 6th hour, so yeah. Lunch! Woo!

(Patton) “Hey, Virgil! Over here!”

And there they are.

(Virgil) “Hey, Patton. Hey guys.”

Roman looks excited. That’s never a good sign.

(Virgil) “Alrighty, Roman. What nonsense are you trying to get up to now, and how do I get out of it?”

I’m pretty perceptive.

(Logan) “I told you he would say no.”

When have I said yes to your stuff?

(Patton) “Give it a chance, buddy.”

For Patton?

(Virgil) “I will give you one chance. One. And if it involves crazy plans, or forests, or anything in that vein, you might as well save yourself some time and ask somebody else, because I’m not dying today.”

Why am I even friends with them? Well, they are good people outside of the desire to get killed by werewolves, or sucked into the land of the fairies.

(Logan) “Don’t you think that the way you are acting is illogical? These things are not real.”

Tell that to my dad.

(Virgil) “Great last words. And even if it’s not really magic, doesn’t mean it can’t kill you.”

Usually fantasy, but not always. I’m not getting killed too early.

(Roman) “We’re just going to go investigate some lights in the woods, probably not even a serial killer.”

Joy.

(Virgil) “Nope. Were they blue, though?

Portals can come indoors.

(Patton) “How’d you know?”

Intense preparation in order to stay alive, and here.

(Virgil) “Lucky guess. Take somebody you don’t like with you to throw into the light. I’m not coming.”

Was that too much? It’s useful advice, but…

(Patton) “Virgil!”

Yeah, yeah.

(Virgil) “I’m kidding. Use a rock. Don’t touch it, unless you’re going to get killed.”

Then you should probably worry more about surviving.

(Logan) “Thank you, Virgil. This could come in handy if it was a portal of some kind. Which it is not. Because portals don’t exist.”

Always such a doubter.

(Virgil) “Why are you tagging along, anyway, if you don’t believe in it? Serial killers don’t tend to use giant flashing blue lights, far as I know.”

Unless they’re fairy serial killers, but that disproves the original point.

(Logan) “I’m trying to keep them from getting killed, as you, the only other person in our group with a self-preservation instinct, believes in _fairies._ ”

How would they hold their funerals, anyway? Most people don’t just pass over them, because even corpses come back sometimes, and hope and pray and wish until the day they die, and sometimes they aren’t even dead then.

(Virgil) “Better to believe in it, and avoid it, then to ignore it and fall to your death.”

Or to believe in it and run to your death. Wouldn’t be the first time. 

(Patton) “Calm down, Virgil. No one’s dying today.”

I hope not.

(Virgil) “Stay out of the woods. Barring that, pack for camping and bring Logan. And carry some stuff you won’t mind losing. Go on the weekend. Be back in time for school. Take your phone. Take something to altet people to where you are. You know the rest. Don’t get killed.”

I’ve told them a million times, and I’ll tell them a million more, if I have to.

(Logan) “For someone who has not entered the woods around the town for as long as I have known you, you know a remarkable amount about how to avoid these things.”

Best to be prepared.

(Virgil) “I need to know it, in case I have to go and look for you. I don’t want the portals to eat all my friends.”

Also, someone might as well take Mom’s advice.

(Patton) “Aww! You like us!”

Of course.

(Virgil) “Lies and slander. Anyway, what clubs are you signing up for?”

Roman’s in theater. That much I know.

(Patton) “Well, we’re all going to be in GSA. Are you coming?”

I wish.

(Virgil) “Not brave enough. I’ll go for the track team, though.”

I’m pretty good.

(Roman) “Why am I not surprised that you would choose an activity that involves running away?”

It won’t kill me?

(Virgil) “Look, if you want to go and run towards danger, I’m not going to stop you. But I prefer to save my energy for running away.”

At top speed. Saved my life at least… seven times?

(Logan) “And we shall all be continuing our clubs.

Wow.

(Virgil) “Sounds like a lot of work. I’m sure you’ll survive somehow, though.”

Maybe not Roman, though.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Third) “I thought that the portals would work for sure!”

(Second) “Really? This isn’t the first time.”

(First) “Don’t worry. There is a better plan.”

(Second) “Not much.”

(Third) “Maybe you should give me some more creative control.”

(Second) “No.”

(Third) “I wasn’t asking you.”

(First) “No way in heck.”

(Third) “Okay, fiiine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Camping can end in death.


	3. On the way home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's a questgiver. He seems nice enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You probably figured out who's who.

Alright, So, track starts next weekend, forms are in my planner. Oh no. Wizard guy. Again.

(Wizard guy) “Halt, hero!”

Why.

(Virgil) “Look, buddy. I’m not coming with you, to save your world, or kill the giant-world slaying abomination made of shadow and nightmares, or a dragon, or save the kingdom from poor rule, or the princess. Go find someone else.”

Aren’t there other people out there who have actual abilities to deal with this?”

(Wizard) “...Giant-world slaying abomination?”

That was an interesting conversation.

(Virgil) “Made of shadows and nightmares, yes. Oh, and shattered dreams. That was an interesting conversation. So, that’s not your problem. What is it, anyway?”

If it’s another princess, I will find whoever makes these stories and hit them upside their head with something very heavy.”

(Wizard) “The council is hunting down all the mages.”

Oh no. The magic genocide isn’t new, but it always hits hard.

(Virgil) “If it helps, if I was going to intervene, I would. But I won’t. I don’t. Find someone else. There always is. The gods aren’t that big of ashholes. Just find another person who fits the description. Or try the ritual again. I’m not going with you. I can’t. I have a life here. I’m not getting killed by a stupid story. I’m not getting caught. Maybe someone else is fool enough. Maybe someone else will survive. Not me.:

Wow, that was a lot.

(Virgil) “I’ll help you find help. But I won’t die. Not for strangers. Not in a world I don’t know. My mom will help, but if you try to drag me off, you’re pretty dead. Got it?”

Seems like it.

(Wizard) “I think I can do it myself. I think. I need somewhere to sleep, though.”

Uh.

(Virgil) “Do you have gold or something?”

They usually do.

(Wizard) “No? Just silvers.”

Okay.

(Virgil) “Okay. You can either sleep over, or Mom will pay for a room in the hotel, but I won’t abandon you in a strange world without a bed. Mom doesn’t like Questgivers, though.”

This one seems nice enough.

(Wizard) “How many of… us? Have you met?”

Too many.

(Virgil) “3...6? Maybe? I mostly stopped keeping track after 15. What’s your name, anyway? You probably told me, but I wasn’t listening.”

And this guy will never get me to leave my home.

(Wizard) “...Okay. My name is Reyes Kaden.”

Did I ever introduce myself?

(Virgil) “I’m Virgil Storm. Nice to meet you.”

And now, home.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Third) “So, was that sass towards us, or what?”

(Second) “No kidding, Remus.”

(First) “We don’t provide accommodations because you’re-supposed-to-go-with-him. Right away.”

(Remus) “Buddy, I don’t think that’s going to work out.”

(Second) “Maybe we just send some money next time. Or stop sending people?”

(Remus) “They liked the abomination, too!”

(First) “I’m not sure if anybody likes the abomination, Remus.”

(Second) “Except for you.”

(First) “Except for you. But they did think the concept was interesting.”

(Remus) “Next time I’ll do something that everyone will like. Like a marshmallow bunny… that explodes! Yeah!”

(Second) “Remus…”

(First) “He’s never going to listen to you.”

(Second) “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remus is kind of upset that he never gets to use these cool designs. Ah, well. Whenever Virgil gets hooked, he's going to be very confused


	4. Home again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil's mom doesn't like Questgivers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't the first time.

Here we go.

(Virgil) “Hey, Mom. I brought a friend home.”

This will be a fun conversation.

(Mom) “Hey, sweetheart, and… Virgil, did you make a new friend?”

This is your cue.

(Reyes) “Hello, ma’am. My name is Reyes Kaden.”

Bit polite.

(Mom) “Josephine Storm. Virgil. This does not appear to be a friend from school.”

Astute.

(Virgil) “Working on getting some poor sucker to get back with him. Won’t be me.”

Well, that was a bit harsh.

(Mom) “Virgil!”

Oops.

(Virgil) “Sorry. But, anyway. Not coming. Somebody else with half a chance of surviving to adulthood. Not somebody with this stupid curse.”

How did it even start?

(Mom) “I can rent him a room at the hotel.”

Wow.

(Virgil) “At this rate, they’ve got to think something is up.”

We have rented too many rooms.

(Mom) “That is evil, Virgil.”

Ah, yes.

(Virgil) “But funny.”

Of course.

(Reyes) “Hello?”

Oh, yeah.

(Mom) “Do you swear on whatever god, oath or whatever else it is that you claim allegiance to, that you will never drag my son into whatever strange world you come from?”

If your god doesn’t have a problem with breaking promises, then Mom will be more then capable of delivering.

(Reyes) “On my life, I swear.”

That should be good enough.

(Mom) “Alright. Hotel. The people at the front desk will give you directions. I would check out the library. The librarians will teach you how to work a computer. Ask for Hollie. You might get a couple weird looks, but this isn’t the first interdimensional case they’ve had. Tell people what you want about who you are. Don’t expect any of them to believe anything.”

Not the first crazy person they’ve met. At least this one doesn’t have a sword.

(Mom) “I’ll make the call. Virgil, do your homework. Reyes, I’ll walk you over when I’m done with the call. Try not to stare at everything you don’t understand.”

Yay! Homework. Oh, one more thing.

(Virgil) “They’re going to be in the woods this weekend, Mom.”

Only one they.

(Mom) “You’re not going with them.”

Of course not.

(Virgil) “I know that my life being long and with the people I care about depends on me not going and doing stupid stuff like running into the woods to inversigate portals.”

Known that forever.

(Mom) “You reminded them of the things to do to be safe?”

Of course.

(Virgil) “Might as well have someone get some use of the warnings you give.”

Because I don’t plan on it.

(Mom) “Good. Now, you should probably get to work. Or eat something.”

Wait.

(Virgil) “Need to unpack my lunch first. See you, Reyes.”

Yay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Won't be the last


	5. Day after camping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I was going to write a normal chapter, and then I was like "wait, these things might seem pretty concenring for an outsider" so here you go.

Well, Roman didn’t seem dead, so it looks like the trip was not entirely a failure. And they all seem alive.

(Virgil) “So the trip wasn’t a total failure.”

They look tired, though.

(Roman) “Well, we didn’t get close to any of the lights, or find anything, or get much sleep.”

Oh.

(Virgil) “Well, at least you're not dead. Or in another dimension. I’ve heard the woods can be rough for your sleep, though. Not too soft out the wood. And the lights don’t like to be found. Portals don’t like to be found by the ones who aren’t the main characters.”

Oops.

(Patton) “Virgil, are you alright? You sound… different.”

Wasn’t supposed to be that clear.

(Logan) “If by different you mean more delusional then usual. I know you are more careful than these two, but if it’s for reasons like this, then I think that there may be more problems than the three of us can handle. Have you talked to your mother about this?”

She’s the one who encourages it.

(Virgil) “Look, I’m sure that I can come up with an adequately reasoned argument as to why I’m not crazy when I’ve gotten some sleep, but my mom does know about this. We’re dealing with it.”

Not the way you think, but the way that keeps me safe. I swear Logan is far too good at detecting when I would be in trouble.

(Patton) “If you're sure?”

Always.

(Virgil) “Hey, going to chase lights in the woods isn’t that much worse than believing that the lights will bring you into different dimensions, is it?”

Probably a bit.

(Roman) “I don’t know, maybe you want to tag along sometime. Exposure therapy.”

Hahaha. No.

(Virgil) “Please stop trying to kill me.”

They don’t understand. At least they can try, but…”

(Patton) “Maybe not right away. You could, like ask a counselor.”

Well, that might work. I’d have to ignore a lot of it, but I might need more than a little bit of help. Not with this, but some other things.

(Virgil) “Thanks. I’ll try. But if you drag me into the woods and I get killed, I will haunt you forever.”

Maybe bring some actual evidence to make it seem like I’m less crazy than I sound.

(Roman) “I guess sticking you out in the woods with all of the things you’ve been avoiding probably wouldn’t be great for your mental health. On second though.”

Yeah.

(Virgil) “I can at least tell you more. But not today. When I am able to filter.”

Just a lot of stress.

(Logan) “Alright. You don’t need to tell us everything, but you do need to tell us some things.”

This could be important.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(First) “Well, that is certainly a way of looking at it.”

(Second) “They’re normal people. That’s the way that everybody looks at it.”

(Remus) “Everybody boring!”


	6. Cress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil runs into Reyes, and the protaganest substitute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those genre savvy guides can save your life, you know.

Oh. There’s Reyes.

(Reyes) “Virgil! Hello!”

Didn’t Mom threaten him if he ever spoke to me again? No, that was the last guy. They were both polite. Although the whole rant probably helped. Just knowing that you’re not the first person, and that this will kill me, no questions asked, and that there is another way to do it will usually ward off the attention. Usually. Mom can handle the rest. Maybe I could explain it like that to them, but some of the reason it works is that once you start traveling dimensions, you tend to stop expecting things to make sense. Usually.

(Virgil) “Hey.”

That’s an improvement.

(Reyes) “I found someone else who fits the prophecy. But they want to be safe, so I was wondering if you and your mother could help. You seem like the only people who know about… this. I can help tell her about my world, but the rest of the story is yours.”

Never gotten past refusal of the call but…

(Virgil) “What’s your name?”

Poor thing.

(???) “Cress Say.”

Shy. That’ll get worked out quick.

(Virgil) “Alright. Me and my mom are going to help. We’re going to do our best to keep you safe.”

Mom better be on board.

(Cress) “Thank you. I want to have adventures, and I want to help people, but…”

You’re somewhat reasonable.

(Virgil) “We’ll do our best. Don’t worry. You’ll have time for that later.”

Just a bit of panic to keep her centered.

(Reyes) “Okay. Thank you for that, Virgil. Let’s bring her to your home.”

No problem.

(Virgil) “Alright. Just over here.”

I swear, one of these days my friends will figure out that I run around with people who are ‘out of this world’ crazy, and they might start to believe me. Or they might think it was a LARP, or something. Mom says that I should look it up. Good cover story.

(Mom) “Virgil! And your… friend. And a chosen one?”

She is ridiculous at reading these things.

(Virgil) “He’s not going to kidnap me, Mom. Got his goal right there. I’m here because she doesn’t want to die, and you’re the only one who would have plans for getting stuck inside a story.”

I’m supposed to learn that stuff at eighteen. I can deal with everything else well enough till then.

(Mom) “And I suppose you’ve already agreed to teach her.”

Why not?

(Virgil) “Take a guess.”

I don’t like to abandon people I can help.

(Mom) “Well, I suppose that it’s fine. Saving lives is noble enough. And it doesn’t seem like this Questgiver will try to steal you again. And I doubt that your role in the story is as a mentor in another world.

Not dramatic enough.

(Virgil) “So, you know this stuff. Couple of metafiction fantasy books can handle the rest.”

We have plenty of those.

(Cress) “I have a couple of lists…”

Could save your life.

(Virgil) “So you’ve got a head start. Good.”

That makes a lot of sense. It will help quite a bit, if everything is as consistently story based as it is here. The ability to calmly explain yourself under threat is also very useful, although I don’t know if we can simulate the ones she will be facing without getting arrested. Well, the rest of them can at least take her into the woods and throw things at her.

(Mom) “We shouldn’t keep meeting. Take a couple self defence courses, and we’ll get your number.”

Smart. Less risk.

(Cress) “Which classes?”

That depends.

(Virgil) “Ask him. If you can carry a knife around, no problem, you’ll want a knife. If you can carry a sword, a sword. No weapons? Conceal your knives and learn hand to hand.”

You can conceal a sword, but it’s not worth the trouble.

(Cress) “Thank you. This is my dream, and you're helping.”

Seriously. No problem.

(Virgil) “You saved my life. I’ll help.”

And there’s my number.

(Cress) “I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a guy’s number before.”

Oh no.

(Virgil) “I’m gay.”

Really? It was just a joke? Why?

(Cress) “Oh. Okay. Sorry.”

Well, that was quick.

(Reyes) “What?”

Well, I guess he doesn’t know.

(Virgil) “I’m gay. Do you know what that means?”

Pretty new word. Hasn’t traveled far.

(Reyes) “No?”

Ah, well.

(Virgil) “Cress, I have homework. Can you explain it to him?”

Hate to dump it on someone else, but it’s pretty important, and I’m not having them hang around any longer.

(Cress) “Sure. Let’s go.”

Is he staying with her?”

(Mom) “Well, it’s nice that you feel more comfortable talking about your sexuality.”

No.

(Virgil) “Mom, not now.”

Please.

(Mom) “Come on.”

Mmmm!

(Virgil) “Mom!”

Really!

(Mom) “Fine. But…”

Oh my goodness.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Remus) “I spent so long on that prophecy!”

(Second) “Maybe we should leave more loopholes, next time? It’s not like we’re ever going to get him, and we keep on having to go further out of the way to help them.”

(First) “We could just stop helping them. Let all their fates rest on Virgil. The way it’s supposed to work.”

(Second) “We made a contract. We won’t break it.”

(Remus) “Wow, Janny. That’s pretty brutal.”

(Janus) “Just tired of all of the nothing.”

(Remus) “We all are. Well, most of us.”

(Second) “I value his life.”

(Remus) “You’re boring.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, learn how to hit things.


	7. Proof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil has been collecting information for a while now.

Alright. Today’s the day,  
(Virgil) “Alright, You know how after the camping trip, I told you some things that made you concerned, and I told you I would talk to you when I was feeling better?”  
Probably, given the fact that they have all seemed slightly uncomfortable around me ever since.  
(Patton) “Yeah. You’re ready to talk about that now?”  
More or less.  
(Virgil) “I brought proof. Assuming you’re willing to listen.”  
Lots of proof.  
(Logan) “What? How do you have this much in your folders? Where did you get these folders?”  
Ordered them a couple years ago.  
(Roman) “You are either very crazy, or very deeply invested in making sure we know the truth.”  
Bit of both, probably.  
(Logan) “What even is this?”  
Family history.  
(Virgil) “Direct partalinal history for six generations, first disappearance, description of the adventure, how many times they were drawn back in, cause of death- official and real, and a couple more fragmented generations, description of curse, legends related and so on. Thought if you wanted to know what was going on, I might as well help.”  
I also needed to tell someone.  
(Patton) “How long have you been gathering this stuff?”  
A while.  
(Virgil) “A while. There were a lot of stories, and I thought I would probably have to explain it all to someone eventually.”  
Thought it would probably be a therapist, but they are a lot easier to talk to.  
(Roman) “So, you gave us a reading assignment?”  
More or less.  
(Virgil) “I gave you enough to understand the scope of the situation. People in my position get killed when they run into danger. I’ve made it my life’s goal to live normally.”  
Just survive. Don’t get killed.  
(Roman) “Just to mess with whatever is doing this to you?”  
Little bit.  
(Virgil) “It keeps me going when I want to stop, but mostly because I don’t want to leave my friends and family behind. I don’t want to disappear for years, and leave Mom wondering if I’ll ever get back, because even though I’ll survive to have a child, there’s no guarantee that I’ll see her again. I don’t know how that will work. Does it go through adoption, or if my partner has a biological child? Do I have to? Did every other ancestor just decide that they were okay with the fact that their son would die? Did they consider it an honor? Just don’t want to get killed. At least if I get killed, I know I’ve done everything I can.”  
That was a bit much. At least no one is looking. Obviously. Great.  
(Patton) “Virgil. You’ve been going through all this alone?”  
More or less.  
(Virgil) “Had Mom to help me with all this, but no friends.”  
Best guide, though.  
(Logan) “Why did you not tell us? We are your friends, we are supposed to help you with this.”  
It sounds so straightforward when you put it like that.  
(Virgil) “Well, I thought you would probably think I was crazy. Might get you in danger. I Didn’t want to take that chance. Change things. But then I went and said something you couldn’t ignore. Had to happen eventually. I was waiting on it.”  
Not going to take any chances. Wish I had the courage to tell them straight out, but I never did.  
(Roman) “Yeah. You know what, I don’t think that the whole ‘tossing you in the middle of the woods is going to help.”  
Thank-Wait.  
(Virgil) “Was that still your plan?”  
That’s awful.  
(Roman) “Anyway. I think you should talk to someone.”  
But who?  
(Virgil) “Who would believe me?”  
I can’t exactly work through all this stuff if I’m in a mental hospital.  
(Patton) “Well, I think we could probably find someone who could help. There are a lot of therapists out there, and you have so much stuff. I’m sure you can find someone who will be able to ignore the fact that none of this sounds realistic.”  
That sounds good.  
(Virgil) “I’ll ask my mom. I think she can help.”  
She always does.  
(Logan) “It makes a lot more sense that you depend on your mom so much now.”  
What?  
(Virgil) “It didn’t before?”  
I mean, they do seem to not rely on their parents very much, but I didn’t think I was that weird.  
(Roman) “Yeah. Not that concerning, but if she is trying to keep you safe from a lot of worlds of people who are trying to murder you, it makes more sense.”  
Not quite.  
(Virgil) “They’re not all trying to murder me. Most of them want to save their world. At least the ones I’ve met.”  
The ones I haven’t will probably be more murderous. Good thing I’m never going to do that.  
(Virgil) “They’re embasaries. Questgivers. They want me to save them. I can’t. I won’t. There are people that do. The Questgivers find them. They take them. They save their worlds. I think. They should. Whatever’s doing this to me can’t be that big of a jerk. Can it? I hope not. But I’m not going to go run off. They have a chance. And I don’t know how this works, but they give up small things. Not the whole thing, but plans. They just make more. But I can run or jump or stay away or talk my way out of anything. I know. I’ve done it.”  
Not anything.  
(Patton) “Is that why you're on the track team?”  
Was that… a joke?  
(Virgil) “Yeah. Don’t want to get into anything dangerous, and running helps avoid a lot of things. You see a Questgiver. You get them talking. You run. You call the police if they start getting threatening. They tend to not stay in jail very long, but they don’t come after me. Often. I think that whatever it is has mercy for that reason. Couple of other ones. Doesn’t mean all that much when you have to run from portals, or desperately talk down people who are horrified by the fact that you care more for your life then you do for their world. And it burns. But I can’t leave. I won’t.”  
And it hurts, but I help. And if I stay awake thinking about them some nights, it’s better then staying up all night in some new world, surrounded by strangers, worrying about my family back home. It’s not a choice I should have to make. It’s one I’ve made.  
(Logan) “You really should have talked to someone sooner.”  
I know.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
(Remus) “He doesn’t like us very much, does he? Well, at least he seems to be fine with Thomas.”


	8. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friends meet.

Okay, so now that my friends are concerned, it is time to introduce them to the least threatening Questgiver I have ever met. Well, second least threatening. That child will never be surpassed.  
(Virgil) “So, these are my friends! Patton, Logan, Roman. And this is Reyes, and the Quester, Cress.”  
I usually don’t get to meet the Questers more than once, or so. Certainly not to introduce anyone to them. Well, not since the very beginning. Causes a lot more trouble than it’s worth. Not so bad when you're little. No one believes what you tell them, no matter what, but it’s normal in little kids. Or at least not too suspicious.  
(Reyes) “Nice to meet you?”  
Our customs are a bit strange.  
(Patton) “Yeah! So you also know Virgil? Through the magic thing?”  
Well, at least that gets most of the awkwardness out of the way.  
(Reyes) “...Yes?”  
Time to step in.  
(Virgil) “He’s a Questgiver. He has his charge, so now he can leave, but she wanted some help learning about stories so she can survive.”  
Because if the whole start is a story, the rest might be as well.  
(Roman) “So, you’re trying to use story logic to survive an alternate dimension?”  
That sounds… unlikely to work.  
(Cress) “Yeah?”  
And Roman doesn’t think so.  
(Roman) “That sounds so cool! Can I do the questing thing next time?”  
No.  
(Logan) “Roman. We are not sending you to another dimension.”  
Thank goodness.  
(Roman) “Fine.”  
Okay, that’s interesting.  
(Virgil) “Also, weird prophecy compilations that make it impossible to shove a random guy through a portal and save a world. I think.”  
I don’t think we’ve tried it, but there’s a reason for that  
(Reyes) “Yes, I wouldn’t want to stake the fate of my world on somebody who I couldn’t trust to save everyone I care about.”  
They never do.  
(Virgil) “At least you’re decent about it.”  
About half of them can take the hint the first couple of times.  
(Logan) “Alright, I have several questions for you.”  
Oh joy.  
(Reyes) “Okay?”  
Logan, really?  
(Virgil) “I brought snacks. This might take a while.”  
Reyes has no idea what’s coming for him.  
(Logan) “Okay, starting off, what was the prophecy?”  
I wonder when systems of government comes into it?

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave plot hooks in the comments. Your own, from another work, whatever. I just need more ideas for this series.


End file.
